The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-10
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS.
CIub at its LaIe Meeting Mr.. tieo.
w. suiton's.

our county fairs. 1t seems manifest that
if the original intention has not been
ertirely lost sight of, it has been very
materially mortified.
Conceived for the laudable purpose
of promoting the breeding and raising
OF improved stock, and of producing a
larger yield and better grade of farm
products-lhc methods of conducting
these exhibitions of late years, would
lead to the belief, that these purposes
have been abandoned, or at least sub
ordinated to what may be SAID TO par
take almost exclusively Of the charac-
ter of sport.
1t is true that a considerable amount
of fino stock is annually on exhibition,
aid a creditable display of cereals,
vegetables, poultry, etc, is to be seen,
but the interest manifested in them i,
confined to comparatively few, and
it may be doubted whether, deprived
Of the other adjuncts, one out OF ten
of our socalled agricultural display,
would meet with sufficient encourage,
ment to warrant their continuance.
l. is far from my purpose to animad-
vert upon the management of our late
"tair." On the contrary, it is conceded
by visitors from other counties and
states to have been emlnently success
full. What | have to say is Of fairs in
general-nor do l entirely condemn
the present method of conducting them
being convinced that any attempt tc
run one, be it in the interest of county
or state, will surely end in signal failure
and entail pecuniary loss, unless the
trotter is given place, and very con-
spicuous one, upon tine program.
When l :hink a change might be
made for the better, is not so much in
the method Of Conducting them as il
the name. Instead OF calling the con-
Germ an agricultural exhibition" OF
farmers fair" why not designate it by
some other and more appropriate title
Call it, for instance, "jockey club" OF
4 meeting for trials of speed" and lei
it be known that we farmer. are ex
pected to cooperate by sending in oul
contributions.
1t may be objected by some, that in
IN, raj point OF view, the tendency is
anything but eievatiEg. This feature
OF the case | am not now considering
and, besides, the objection comes from
persons who are guilty of many acts
more inconsistent with conduct bccom.
ing Christians, than the simple fact o.
witnessing race. Indeed some of oul
most exemplary citizens are to be found
amongst the lockers on, and upon the
grand stand are visible scores of stock.
ing. died in the deepest shade of blue.
Still the average farmer will be slow tc
believe that the interests of hi. occu.
patton are likely to be much promoted
by having desire for fast horses in
culcated in the minds of the growing
generation.
The feeling of being whirled around
a circle at 40 gait, upon large
wneeled sulky, may be pleasing and
exhileratlng to the driver, and enter
tanning to the lockers ON, but jus,
where the promotion of the farmers
interest comes in, i, not easy to dis
cover. A performance of this kind i:
immensely popular, and goes further
than any other, and it may be all Other
features to swell the receipts of ar
| exhibition. Crowds will sit, and even
stand for hours to gaze at a race, anG
although the result ha, been predeter-
mined, yet the interest never flags, and
eager eyes are riveted upon the spec
tacle with just as much interest as
though the fastest horse was allowed
to win.
l noticed new and very interesting
feature in the manner of driving. Some
of the men sat upon the tails of their
horses. This style of going was, nc
doubt, introduced upon our grounds
by some of the visiting professionals.
and was eagerly adopted by one or two
of our young amateurs. The innovation
has much to recommend 1t. 1t looks
like business and be,peaks intimacy
and familiarity between the horse and
his driver. 1t shows that the two are
on the best of terms, are willing to
trust each other, and are animated by
one common purpose-to win. 1t also
suggests the Dzrwinian theory-that
the human species derives its origin
from the ape. 1t is we'll known that
one of the chief arguments produced
against Darwin's ingenious theory, is
the total absence in man of even the
mere,t approach to a caudal appendage.
When. however, young Cecil county
representative makes his appearance
upon the course, compcsedly seated on
the tail of his trusted and trusting steed,
and whirls around the dusty track, with
the end of it sticking out behind, it is
no easy matter for casual observer to
tell, with any degree of certainty, to
which the tail belongs. If we did not
know that horses have tails and men
usually have none, it would be the
most natural thing in the world to con-
cude that th- brush belonged to the
man. 1t makes its appearance from
just about the place that mans tail
should start if he had one, and as We
have never been accustomed to see the
tails of horses protruding from the seats
of men, some are excusable for getting